often
often
adverb
OPAL W OPAL S
/ˈɒfn/, /ˈɒftən/
Idioms
1 many times
SYNONYM frequently
We often go there.
I've often wondered what happened to him.
How often do you go to the theatre?
I see her quite often.
Try to exercise as often as possible.
We should meet for lunch more often.
It is not often that you get such an opportunity.
TOPICS Time A1
2 in many cases
SYNONYM commonly
Old houses are often damp.
People are often afraid of things they don't understand.
All too often the animals die through neglect.
His success depended, as so often happens, on things entirely outside his control.
The residents often have difficulty accessing services to meet their needs.
Idioms
as often as not | more often than not
every so often
once too often
Word Origin
Middle English: extended form of oft, probably influenced by selden ‘seldom’. Early examples appear to be northern English; the word became general in the 16th cent.